Game counter



July 12, 1949. v A TNE 2,475,695

GAME COUNTER Filed Dec. 19, 1947 A INVENTOR. Gerzr'uae 6. Gas IL /76f Patented July 12, 1949 GAME JCOUNTER Gertrude S.v C'astner, Detroit, Mich,

A'pplication December-"19, 1947'," Serial-"No. 792,704

LCIaim. (Cl. 23512'7-)';

This 'inventionurelates to tally devices for user in playinggames of cards, and more partlcularly to: talley or score b'oard device for: use in nlay ing pinochle:

A'" main obj ect'of the invention 15 to provide a novel and improved pinochle scoring-..device providesfxa means of temporaril recording: a

playersl bid F and points melded 'sof that by adding to I the points melded the points. earned; during subsequent play, the players total score may be readily computed and compared with the points bid, the device being inexpensive to manufacture, sturdy in construction, and contributing to the enjoyment of the game by providing a player with a reminder of his point standing after he has taken a bid and engages in subsequent play.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claim, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a pinochle scoring device constructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of one of the scoring device of Figure 1, showing a scoring tab in upright position,

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail perspective view of a scoring tab employed in the scoring device of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail perspective view of one of the leaf springs employed with the scoring tabs in the scoring tabs in the scoring device of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, H designates a flat generally rectangular housing made of suitable material, such as sheet metal or plastic, said housing having a top wall l2 which is divided into four sections by transverse lines 13 suitably inscribed on said top wall. The aforesaid sections are respectivel marked Bid, Meld, Points and Total score, as shown in Figure 1.

Formed in top wall I2 and extending in opposing transverse relation to each other for the length of said top wall are two longitudinal rows of rectangular apertures l4. Secured to the 15! pivotally. secured to :a 'wire l 5 in posed apertures I4.

secured at their intermediate portions to the underside ofi saiditop wali subadjacent to the divisionv line markingsv'lai as shown at is;

Designated at [9 are scoring tabelements;eachtab-element comprising: of an elongated fiat body-portion 2D a nd'a right angled end portion I 2 l, aperture'd'r parall'el lugs -22 2 Z' being provided at"thecorner 'junction' between' body portion 20 and} end portion lils Ea"ch tab element I9 is anaperture M} as: shown in .Figureiz3: the Wire I the apertured lugs 22, 22 of the tab elements.

Secured to the underside of top wall l2 between each transversely opposed pair of apertures I 4, by a center rivet 23, is a transversely extending leaf spring 24. The ends of leaf spring 24 are formed with right-angled depending seat elements 25, 25 underlying the angled end portions 2| of the tab elements in said pair of 0p- As shown in Figure 3, when the body of a tab element is in a horizontal position its end portion 2| is vertical and abuts the vertical wall defined at the inner end of its associated seat element 25, whereby the spring 24 resiliently locks the tab element in the horizontal position shown at the left side of Figure 3. When the body of a tab element is rotated upwardly to a vertical position, as shown at the right side of Figure 3, the corner at the junction between the body 2|] and the end portion 2! of the tab element interlocks with the right-angled seat element 25 associated therewith, whereby the tab element is resiliently locked in a vertical position.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the free ends of the tab elements l9 normally project beyond the longitudinal side walls of housing ll, thereby facilitating manual actuation of the tab elements from their horizontal to their vertical positions.

Each tab element I9 is marked with suitable indicia so that by raising the appropriate tab elements IS in the different divisions of the board, arithmetic totals may be represented conforming with an associated game situation. Thus, if a player makes a bid of 310, the first tab element I9 0n the left side and the last tab element IS on the right side in the Bid division of the board are raised to vertical positions. If he then proceeds to meld points, the last tab element IS on the left side and the fourth tab 5 passing. through element 19 on the right side in the Meld division are raised to vertical positions. If in subsequent; play he proceeds to earn 160 points, the last tab element IS on the left side and the fourth tab element 19 on the right side in the Points division are raised. The players total score, 320, is then found by adding the amounts represented by the raised tab elements in the Meld and Points divisions. This total score may be represented in the "Total score division by raising, for example, the last 20 tab on the left side and the first three 100 tabs on the right side in the Total score division. By then comparing the amount of points shown in the Total score division with the points bid, shown by the upstanding tabs in the Bid section, it can be readily determined that the player has made good his bid with a surplus of ten points.

It is thus seen that a player may readily record his bid in the Bid division by raising the appropriate tabs (9 therein, and in the same manner, record his meld in the Meld division. After playing out his hand he records his earned points in the Points division. He adds his Meld and Points sums to obtain his total score which he records by raising the appropriate tabs IS in the Total score division. It is then possible to determine at a glance whether or not he has made good his original bid.

If the player does not make the score required and his total score is minus, the deficiency may be recorded in the Total score section and the board reversed until the player is clear again.

While a specific embodiment of a pinochle scoring device has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various '4 modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

In a game scoring device comprising a hollow, rectangular body constituting a score board, a plurality of numbered tab elements pivotally secured to said board and arranged in two opposed rows disposed one row along each longitudinal edge of the upper side of said board for individual movement between a position in which they rest upon the upper surface of the board and a position in which they extend upwardly from the board substantially perpendicular to the latter, and respective transverse leaf springs each secured to the board between the two opposing tab elements in said two rows, the arrangement wherein each of said tab elements is formed with a right-angled projection at its pivoted end, and each of said springs is formed at its ends with right-angled seat portions frictionally engaging the rightangled projections on the associated tabs to positively lock said tabs in either of their operative positions.

GERTRUDE S. CASTNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 481,947 Hillard l Sept. 6, 1892 909,823 Roscoe Jan. 12, 1909 

